Yeah makes perfect sense, I can totally see the advantages to skipping it.

I've also used falling leaf again when iv'e felt out of my depth. Steep chute opening out into more rolling terrain, with no way around. Wet heavy snow (2-3 feet fresh overnight) but melting fast in the spring sun. Tracked and lumpy by late morning. Dunno if it was 45deg but certainly getting on for it if not. Not impossible (like that ice sounds) but about the steepest I'd been on and fairly tough even sideslipping.

Did feel a little like a cop out afterward but I was starting to see some worrying signs with the snowpack and did not want to f*ck about. Anyway did it's job and got me though the first 50 meters until it opened out a little and could find a cleanish line. The ride out was sure fun